About Drafting a Rookie Corner

**Sarcasticfury** · 04-18-2014, 05:13 PM

So it's been talked about that the Ravens drafting a replacement for Corey Graham, and while I'm not here to say that they shouldn't I don't believe that the Ravens will take a corner at Day One (personally I don't believe they need to take one at all), but I do have questions about a rookie corner.

1. What's the difference between Jackson, Brown, and a rookie?
They all lack experience, and veteran QBs (who the Ravens will face multiple times this season) will know that and exploit the matchup. So what makes a rookie, who will inevitably have less experience better than them?

2. Are they capable of getting the starting job?
Harbs doesn't hand rookies the job regardless of pedigree. Flacco was originally planned to be redshirting 2008, Elam wasn't planned to start as soon as he did, and I could go on about this, but the main point is that a rookie CB would have to beat out Jackson and Brown, both of which are motivated to take the nickel role, Brown even more so now that he's entering a contract year.

3. Can they handle the NFL even if they get the job?
The Ravens have to face Matt Ryan, Drew Brees, Cam Newton, Andrew Luck, Philip Rivers, Andy Dalton x2, and Ben Roethlisberger x2. Those QBs have between them 1 Super Bowl MVP, 4 Super Bowls, 3 Super Bowl Victories, 22 Pro Bowls, 47 Seasons, and many, many accolades and passing records. Making a rookie go up against those guys is asking for a disaster in my opinion.

**alien bird** · 04-18-2014, 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by Sarcasticfury

So it's been talked about that the Ravens drafting a replacement for Corey Graham, and while I'm not here to say that they shouldn't I don't believe that the Ravens will take a corner at Day One (personally I don't believe they need to take one at all).

The Ravens have a total of four corners on the roster. If they don't take one for depth in the draft, they are going to have to find one (or more) from someone's scrap heap when cuts are made - or pick up some as UDFAs after the draft. You cannot really survive in today's NFL with only four corners.

**JoeCool5** · 04-18-2014, 07:03 PM

I personally think CB could be a sneaky/surprise pick for us in the first round, particularly if Dennard from Michigan State slips.

**Sarcasticfury** · 04-18-2014, 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by alien bird

The Ravens have a total of four corners on the roster. If they don't take one for depth in the draft, they are going to have to find one (or more) from someone's scrap heap when cuts are made - or pick up some as UDFAs after the draft. You cannot really survive in today's NFL with only four corners.

Drafting one for depth is fine, what the main point of my thread was that the Ravens shouldn't take a corner and start him from Day One, which is also why I don't believe they should take one in Day One.

**alien bird** · 04-18-2014, 07:31 PM

Originally Posted by Sarcasticfury

Drafting one for depth is fine, what the main point of my thread was that the Ravens shouldn't take a corner and start him from Day One, which is also why I don't believe they should take one in Day One.

Right, but I was responding to the part of your post in which you said "personally I don't believe they need to take one at all". They definitely need to increase their stable of CBs. I also don't think that it is a given that rookies don't play for Harbaugh. A drafted CB might not lock down the #1 or #2 spot, but a high round pick is going to be expected to contribute significantly. And if the Ravens think that BPA is a CB, then I'm okay with it.

**Sarcasticfury** · 04-18-2014, 07:54 PM

Originally Posted by alien bird

Right, but I was responding to the part of your post in which you said "personally I don't believe they need to take one at all". They definitely need to increase their stable of CBs. I also don't think that it is a given that rookies don't play for Harbaugh. A drafted CB might not lock down the #1 or #2 spot, but a high round pick is going to be expected to contribute significantly. And if the Ravens think that BPA is a CB, then I'm okay with it.

It's not a given that Harbs doesn't play rookies, however it is a given that rookies have to win the job. Whether it's Gilbert, Dennard, or a UDFA they'd still have to beat out Brown and Jackson.

**alien bird** · 04-18-2014, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by Sarcasticfury

It's not a given that Harbs doesn't play rookies, however it is a given that rookies have to win the job. Whether it's Gilbert, Dennard, or a UDFA they'd still have to beat out Brown and Jackson.

If it's Gilbert, Dennard or even Fuller or Varrett that might be a real possibility. Brown doesn't thrill me and Jackson (although I like him a lot) doesn't have a whole lot of experience, etiher. I think there are a good handful of corners in the draft who can beat those guys out.

**AirFlacco** · 04-18-2014, 08:35 PM

Originally Posted by Sarcasticfury

It's not a given that Harbs doesn't play rookies, however it is a given that rookies have to win the job. Whether it's Gilbert, Dennard, or a UDFA they'd still have to beat out Brown and Jackson.

Elam started last year as a rookie and cost us at least one game, maybe 2 and we just missed the POs. That's what happens when you start rookies. Old School coaches would never start rooks because of rookie mistakes. George Allen went to the SB trading his top picks for veteran players saying the future is now.

**Sarcasticfury** · 04-18-2014, 08:35 PM

Originally Posted by alien bird

If it's Gilbert, Dennard or even Fuller or Varrett that might be a real possibility. Brown doesn't thrill me and Jackson (although I like him a lot) doesn't have a whole lot of experience, etiher. I think there are a good handful of corners in the draft who can beat those guys out.

Which brings up more questions. Is the rookie really earning the job if the competition can be beat out by many rookies and the glaring one can he handle going up against Matt Ryan, Drew Brees, Cam Newton, Andrew Luck, Philip Rivers, Andy Dalton x2, and Ben Roethlisberger x2. Those guys are established franchise QBs and have quite the pedigree between them.

**Sarcasticfury** · 04-18-2014, 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by AirFlacco

Elam started last year as a rookie and cost us at least one game, maybe 2 and we just missed the POs. That's what happens when you start rookies. Old School coaches would never start rooks because of rookie mistakes. George Allen went to the SB trading his top picks for veteran players saying the future is now.

I don't think that what stood between the Ravens and the playoffs was Matt Elam. If you recall Elam was a special-teamer on Day One and it was Michael Huff's godawful safety play that forced the Ravens to play Elam. And besides it's not like Elam made the O-Line garbage, Jacoby miss five games, Dickson acquire a case of stone hands, or cause Rice and Pierce to have a down year. And I can definitely say that in the salary-cap era you cannot go and wins Super Bowls, and as for George Allen and his Over The Hill Gang they lost that Super Bowl, went one-and-done in '73,'74,and'76, missed the playoffs in '75 and '77, was canned after the 1977 season, and they didn't go to the playoffs until 1982.

**PalladinInNC** · 04-18-2014, 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by AirFlacco

Elam started last year as a rookie and cost us at least one game, maybe 2 and we just missed the POs. That's what happens when you start rookies. Old School coaches would never start rooks because of rookie mistakes. George Allen went to the SB trading his top picks for veteran players saying the future is now.

George Allen!!!

That was only between 40 to 50 years ago. I think things have changed a little bit since then regarding rookies!

I seem to remember John H having to start a rookie about 6 years ago because he had no choice. His name was Flacco and we just missed making it to the Superbowl that year.

And for all of Mr. Vanilla Ice Cream Allen's efforts in trading for veterans, he made it to the SB a grand total of once and lost!

Nuff said!

**Sarcasticfury** · 04-18-2014, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by PalladinInNC

George Allen!!!

That was only between 40 to 50 years ago. I think things have changed a little bit since then regarding rookies!

I seem to remember John H having to start a rookie about 6 years ago because he had no choice. His name was Flacco and we just missed making it to the Superbowl that year.

And for all of Mr. Vanilla Ice Cream Allen's efforts in trading for veterans, he made it to the SB a grand total of once and lost!

Nuff said!

Exactly, Super Bowl winning teams are built through the draft, Free Agency is just the icing on the cake, The Draft is the eggs, flour, and milk. And ideally the players that you sign to the big, long-term deals are the ones you've drafted. The Peyton Mannings and Drew Breeses of Free Agency are very rare and you even they won't fix everything, as Peyton's Super Bowl disaster can attend to. Besides it's generally a bad idea to follow the Redskins' model of business look where it got them. Can we please get back to talking rookie corners now?